In these political times, views can vary widely on who can and should enter our borders. But one new intruder is unlikely to stir much controversy, because its deadly tendencies will make everyone run screaming.
No, we’re not talking about terrorists – at least, not the kind you think. These illegal aliens are slithery and small and can arrive undetected via flowerpots and plants, primarily those coming into the United States from the South Pacific region, often into our southern ports.
What is it?
The dreaded New Guinea flatworm.
Before you shrug and say, “Oh, it’s just a worm!,” listen to what experts say this undesirable tourist can do to you. If these worms enter your body, they can wreak havoc on your lungs, brain, and spinal cord, even causing meningitis in some cases.
“If you have long worms, basically you start this horrible coughing,” Roy Beckford, an agriculture agent, told WFTX TV. “It’s a parasite in your lungs that needs to be treated.””
It seems the worms were recently spotted in the southwestern part of the state of Florida. Now, authorities are faced with the rather daunting task of determining how to contain the varmints.
How will you know if you’re looking at one? Beckford says they have a distinctive appearance. “They’re a dark worm with a dorsal orange stripe down the center of their back,” the expert asserted.
Like many other lethal scenarios, it’s rats and mice who are the likeliest carriers of the worms. And don’t think you are only in trouble if one gets inside you, because even skin contact can be problematic.
“It can . . . cause problems on your skin because it . . . vomits up this caustic substance . . .” said Beckford.
Even if you escape the long arm of the New Guinea flatworm, it could impact your environs. The destructive crawlers will eat just about anything, from small reptiles to entire forests.
If you think you have seen one, please document it with photos and reach out to your local university or other area experts.
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